Not so green

DANNY Green is in full stride running around Melbourne's Gosch's Paddock, but in his mind he's already in his final fight and trading bell-ringers with powerful New Zealander Shane Cameron.

After a career spanning two decades, representing his country at the Sydney Olympics, 37 professional fights - 32 wins (28KO, five losses) - three world titles and a stint in retirement, Green is hanging up the gloves for good after the November 21 bout at Melbourne's Hisense Arena.

In 39-year-old Green's mind's eye his punches sink deeper into Cameron's chiselled body and he pictures each blow cracking his highly ranked opponent's will. From brutal experience Green knows which points to pressure to ensure the Kiwi eventually crumbles like a giant chimney stack under the relentless force of a wrecking ball.

Green, who'll become a four-time world champion if he beats Cameron, throws a volley of punches when the battle raging inside his head reaches it's zenith. Green's air swings - even when he runs - are loaded with intent, as the mother pushing a pram and a few social joggers confirm by their double-takes.

''Scud missiles, mate,'' Green panted in between breaths when he's asked to describe the scenes he visualises. ''I see deadly accurate guided Scud missiles detonating on Cameron's chin; see 'em rattling his eye sockets. With each punch I can feel his will ebbing from him.

''There's no malicious intent at all. I'm just a professional pugilist maximising what I call 'damage output' with my shots. I have to hurt him; need to hurt him. When I picture a fight it goes the way I want it to go … the power in my punches, the way I evade his. It sets how I want the fight to go."

Green, who had his first fight 20 years ago at Perth's Midland Town Hall when he battered Milos Radovic - an older amateur with a KO merchant's reputation, scary tattoos and an intimidating goatie-beard - into submission, is as much a realist as he is gladiator.

He concedes Cameron is younger, is a natural-born heavyweight blessed with a big man's punch and even admitted the ''Mountain Warrior'' from New Zealand's high country had the goods to knock him cold, the result Cameron had promised loudly and proudly to the Kiwi media when he agreed to fight for the vacant IBO world cruiserweight crown.

But Green said Cameron was cursed as New Zealand had not had a world champion since Mascelino Masoe won the WBA middleweight belt in 2004, after Bob Fitzsimmons in 1891 and Billy Murphy in 1890.

''He's carrying the hope of his nation. It's a huge load because they're desperate for a world champion and while he's promised so much in the past he has come up short,'' Green said. ''He has a lot of things in his favour: youth, size, power, strength but he also has the pressure - and it's all-consuming.

''However, he's a serious threat. Cameron could knock me unconscious. It's daunting. He's a big and powerful guy. His last KO [against American Monte Barrett] was spectacular. I'm backing myself but I know my never-say-die attitude will be needed.''

Throughout his career, Green has made it a rule to never speak beyond his next battle. However, with the end near he had no trouble describing his legacy.

''I see the legacy, already,'' he said. ''It's humbling when a car load of young blokes pull up to wish me well, like some guys did this morning. I feel great when I see a Green Machine sticker on a tradie's ute.

''My body is banged up, I reckon I'll be falling out of bed in five years because of the things I've had to do to compete against younger blokes, yet I'm in great shape. And when people pull me up in the street to say 'g'day' it makes me feel as though everything has been worthwhile, that it's counted. I like to think people connected with me because they see me as an everyday bloke who fought like the clappers whenever I entered the ring. I think they've seen I gave blood, sweat and tears.''

Green hoped fighters would learn from his gamble to promote himself, although he warned it had resulted in unwelcome grey hair.

''I certainly put a lot of pressure on myself as a fighter,'' he said. ''I look back on some of my losses with regret … some of the pressure, like mortgaging my family's home to bankroll the Roy Jones jnr fight [in 2009] was incredible. I did it to ensure I fought calibre fighters and even though there was stress I'm glad I steered my own ship.''

Green's trainer Angelo Hyder said he'd cursed the boxing gods on numerous occasions because he's frustrated Green at 39 was a far better warrior than at 28, the age when he turned professional after the Sydney Olympics. He's more angry to think Green, who'd fought such greats as Jones and disgraced steroid cheat Antonio Tarver, hadn't received the accolades he deserved.

''He brought the best out here,'' Hyder said. ''Jones and Tarver are Hall-of-Fame bound; Krzysztof Wlodarczyk - the Pole who beat Dan - is the world's best crusierweight. B.J. Flores couldn't get anyone to fight him but Dan did and while Flores will be a world champion one day [Green] beat him. He brought Stipe Drews to Australia when the Croatian was the WBA champion and took his crown.

''Danny destroyed Roy Jones jnr in the opening round … nailed him … but that wasn't enough for some critics. Amazingly Danny was the 5-1 underdog that night. It meant most people didn't give him a chance, but he stopped Jones; ferocious. Had it been a blood bath that went the distance they'd have called it a great win, and it was. But, the public want blood.''